Dichagyris hypotacta, Varga, Zoltán, Ronkay, Gábor & Ronkay, László, 2021

Varga, Zoltán, Ronkay, Gábor & Ronkay, László, 2021, Contributions To The Taxonomy And Biogeography Of The Genus Dichagyris (Subg. Dichagyris) Lederer, 1867 (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae), Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 67 (4), pp. 313-340 : 330-334

Dichagyris hypotacta sp. n.

( Figs 29–32, 51–54)

Holotype. Male , Afghanistan, Wakhan, Kotal-e-Dalez, W slope, 3400 m, 27.VII.1971, leg. Ebert & Naumann ( SMNK).

Paratypes. Afghanistan. 145 males, 34 females, with same data as holotype (colls SMNK, NHMW, P. Gyulai, G. Ronkay, Z. Varga) ; 1 male, with same data, MHNG ENTO 20902 , coll. J. Plante , MHNG); 33 males, 14 females, Wakhan, Darrah-e-Shaur , 3450 m, 25.VII.1971, leg. Ebert & Naumann ; 106 males, 7 females, Wakhan, Langar , 3500 m, 11.VII.1971, leg. Ebert & Naumann ; 4 males, 2 females, Wakhan, Sarhad , 3150 m, 8.VII.1971, leg. Ebert & Naumann ; 51 males, 14 females, Wakhan, Zamestani Baharak , 3300 m, 24.VII.1971, leg. Ebert & Naumann (colls SMNK, NHMW, P. Gyulai, G. Ronkay, Z. Varga) ; 1 female, Paktia, 3500 m, Kotal-e-Sirkey, W side, 28. VI.–15.VII.1999, leg. S. Assad (coll. P. Gyulai) ; 42 males, 5 females, Koh-i-Baba Mts, Band-i-Amir , 3600 m, 27.IX.1963, leg. Kasy & Vartian (colls NHMW, SMNK) ; 1 male, with same data, MHNG ENTO 20900 , coll. Plante , MHNG); 1 male, Band-i-Amir , 2800 m, 9–12.VII.1975, leg. W. Thomas , MHNG ENTO 24100 (coll. J. Plante, MHNG) ; 37 males 8 females, Hazaradjat, Koh-i-Baba, Shatu-pass , 3000 m, 17–19.VII. 1966, leg. G. Ebert (coll. SMNK) ; 22 males, 5 females, Hazaradjat, Koh-i-Baba, Pandjao , 2650 m, 20–22.VII.1966, leg. G. Ebert (coll. SMNK) ; 1 male, with same data, MHNG ENTO 20899 , coll. Plante , MHNG); 8 males, Paghman Mts , 20–30.VII.1962, 20–22.VII.1963, 1–15.VIII.1965, leg. E. & A. Vartian (coll. NHMW) ; 1 male, 2 females, Badakhshan, Sare- kanda, 4200 m, 31.VII.1953, leg. Klapperich (coll. ZSM) , 1 male, with same data, with same data, MHNG ENTO 20898 , coll. Plante , MHNG). Genital slide Nos VZ 9332m, VZ 10144m, VZ9444f . Tadjikistan. 2 males, W Pamir, Rushan , 3400 m, 20–30.VII.2001, leg. Gurko (coll. G. Ronkay, NHMW) , 3 females, with same data (coll. HNHM) ; 1 male, 2 females, from the same locality, 1–10.VIII.2002, leg. Gurko (coll. G. Ronkay, NHMW); Gorno-Badakhshan : 4 males, 4 females, W-Pamir, Vantsh Mts, Rushan distr. , 3400 m, 1–10.VIII.1992, leg. V. Gurko ; 9 males, 10 females, the same locality and collector, 21–30.VII.1997 (colls. P. Gyulai, G. Ronkay) ; 14 males, 7 females, the same locality and collector, 1–10.VIII.1997 ; 6 males, the same locality and collector, 21–30.VIII.1997 ; 1 male, 1 female, the same locality and collector, 1–10.IX.1997 ; 2 males, 2 females, the same locality and collector, 10-20.VII.1998 ; 1 female, the same locality and collector, 1–10.VIII.1998 ; 5 males, 1 female, the same locality and collector, 11-20.VIII.1998 ; 1 male, 1 female, the same locality and collector, 3400 m, 1–10. IX.1998 ; 1 male, 1 female, the same locality and collector, 11–20.VIII.1998 ; 1 male, the same locality and collector, 20–30.VIII.1998 ; 13 males, 20 females, the same locality and collector, 10–20.VII.2000 ; 14 males, 9 females, the same locality and collector, 20–30.VII.2001 (coll. P. Gyulai) ; 1 male, 3 females, W-Pamir, Sarez lake area, 3400 m, Irkift meteorological station, 20–30.VII.2011, 3400 m, leg. V. Gurko ; 12 males, 24 females, the same locality and collector, 1–10.VIII.2011 ; 2 females, the same locality and collector, 10–20.VIII.2011 (coll. P. Gyulai) ; 1 female, E. Pamir, N. Tanimas range, Nature Reserve, middle stream of Shurali-Suu river , 15–20.VII.2018, leg. D. Goshko ; 4 males, E. Pamir, Sarykol Mts, 74°57’E, 37°40’N, Oziornaja , 4300 m, 7.VIII.1994, leg. native collector ; 3 males, E. Pamir, Sarykol Mts, Dunkeldik , 4300 m, 25–27.VII.1996, leg. Lukhtanov ; 10 males, 3 females, Turkestan Mts, Shakhristan pass, Khu- shikat, 3100 m, 26–28.VII.1994, leg. Lukhtanov ; 1 male, Seravshan basin, Turkestan Mts, 45 km E of Aini, Obburdon pass, 2800–3000 m, 13–15.VII.1994, leg. Lukhtanov ; 5 males, 1 female, Seravshan Mts, Dasht , 68°03’E, 39°20’N, 2600 m, 18–19.VII.1994, leg. Lukhtanov ; 64 males, 86 females, SE Pamir Mts, Murgab distr., Ak-Bura massif; 20 km W of Tohtamish village, Sulu-istik river , 3900 m, 11–27.VII.2016, leg. D. Goshko ; 8 males, 6 females, Pamir Mts, Murgab district, Sarykol Mt. , r. Duljkenbik , 4000 m, 2–7.VIII.1994, leg. Titov ; 1 male, 2 females, Pamir, Yuzhno-Alichurskiy range, Dzhilondy village , 3500 m, near Irkift meteorological station, 29.VII.–3.VIII.2014, leg. D.A. Safronov ; 1 female, Peter I. Mts , 14 km S ghanistan, Wakhan, VZ 9337m

Tadjikabad, Tanis valley, 2180 m, 10.VIII.1977, leg. Yu. Shchetkin (coll. P. Gyulai). Genital slide Nos VZ 10069m, VZ 10069m, VZ10073f. Kirghisia. 1 female, Alai Mts, Tengizbai Pass, 10 km E of Daraut-Kurgan, 3000–3800 m, 11–25.VII.1995, leg. W. Lukhtanov (coll. G. Ron- kay, NHMW). Pakistan. 56 males, 26 females, Hindukush Mts, 5 km E of Shandur Pass, 3500 m, 72°32’E, 36°10’N, 13.VII.1994, leg. B. Herczig, Gy.M. László & G. Ronkay; 12 males, 1 female, Hindukush Mts, Shandur Pass, 4300 m, 12.VII.1994, leg. B. Herczig, Gy.M. László & G. Ronkay; 6 males, Hindukush Mts, Teru, 2500 m, 72°40’E, 36°14’N, 14.VII.1994, leg. B. Herczig, Gy.M. László & G. Ronkay (coll. G. Ronkay & HNHM); 1 male, Hindukush Mts, 5 km E of Shandur Pass, 3300 m, 72°32’E, 36°10’N, 30.VIII.1997, leg. Gy. Fábián & G. Ronkay (coll. G. Ronkay); 24 males, 6 females, Hindukush Mts, 5 km SE of Shandur pass, 3250 m, 72°38’E, 36°07’N, 11.VIII.1998, leg. G. Ronkay & Z. Varga (colls G. Ronkay, Z. Varga); 17 males, 5 females, Hindukush Mts, 5 km E of Shandur pass, 3750 m, 72°38’E, 36°07’N, 26–27. VI.2000, leg. G. Ronkay & Z. Varga (colls G. Ronkay, Z. Varga); 6 males, 1 female, Hindu- kush Mts, Teru, 2500 m, 72°40’E, 36°14’N, 28.VI.2000, leg. G. Ronkay & Z. Varga (colls G. Ronkay, Z. Varga); 1 female, Hindukush Mts, 5 km E of Shandur pass, 3250 m, 72°38’E, 36°07’N, 23.VIII.2001, leg. G. Ronkay (coll. HNHM); 1 male, 2 females, Hindukush Mts, 5 km E of Shandur pass, 3350 m, 23.VII.2011, leg. B. Benedek (coll. P. Gyulai); 18 males, 17 females, Kashmir, Himalaya Mts, Deosai Mts, Bubin village, 3150 m, 74°59’E, 36°12’N, 3150 m, 12.VIII.1998, leg. G. Ronkay & Z. Varga (colls G. Ronkay, Z. Varga), 1 male, Gilgit, road to Khunjerab Pass, Sost, 2775 m, 19–20.VII.1990, leg. Aulombard & Plante, MHNG ENTO 20901 (coll. Plante, MHNG).). Genital slide Nos VZ 7067m, VZ 8019m, VZ 8037m, VZ 9337m, VZ9446, VZ 9853m, VZ 10288m, VZ10067f. India, Jammu & Kashmir. 1 female, Fatu-La- Pass, 3800 m, 28–29.VII.1980, leg. W. Thomas, MHNG ENTO 16173 (coll. Plante, MHNG).

Diagnosis. The new species is the eastern sister species of the Iranian D. humilis . Dichagyris hypotacta is very similar externally to D. humilis ( Figs 27–28) but somewhat larger in size (wingspan 31–33 mm, the measures of the two species are slightly overlapping); the forewing is more acute apically and more concolorous due to the more intense dark brownish irroration; all forewing markings are less expressed than in D. humilis .

The male genitalia ( Figs 51–53) are generally similar to those of D. humilis ( Fig 49) but the uncus of the new species is slightly slenderer than that of D. humilis , the valvae are more tapering distally, the aedeagus is somewhat longer, with slenderer dentate bar of the sclerotised carina, and the cornutus on the short subbasal diverticulum is directed more ventrally.

The female genitalia of the two species are generally similar but the papillae of ovipositor of D. hypotacta ( Fig. 54) are less quadratic than in D. humilis ( Fig. 50), the antrum is narrower, not funnel-shaped, the ductus bursae is slightly shorter and more wrinkled longitudinally, and the appendix bursae is less globular than those of D. humilis .

Description. Wingspan 31–33 mm. Head and thorax varies from dark fuscous to ochreous-brown, with considerable individual and/or local variation. Forewings acute triangular with elongate apex; ground colour dull fuscous, greyish-brown or ochreousbrown, with remarkable variation in shade (most probably due to the substrate of the habitat: pale ochreous-brown in certain parts of the Central Hindukush, e.g. Band-i-Amir; dark greyish-brown in most parts of Tadjikistan and Pakistan). Noctuid maculation usually blurred, marked only by a few darker brownish-grey scales; antemedial and postmedial crosslines and median fascia slightly darker than ground colour. Submarginal area somewhat darker; subterminal line obsolete; inner part of cilia fuscous, outer part light ochreous. Hindwing ochreous-brown with diffuse darker marginal area and light ochreous cilia. Sexes similar, the females are on average smaller and slightly darker than the males.

Male genitalia. The configuration is identical with the general type of Dichagyris ; uncus acute, elongate falcate, valvae distally tapering, corona reduced; harpe strong, nearly straight, surpassing costal margin. Carina strongly sclerotised, dentate; vesica saccate, semi-helicoidal with ample subbasal diverticulum bearing a ventrally directed needleshaped cornutus.

Female genitalia. Ovipositor short, weakly sclerotised; antrum bilaterally slightly sclerotised, ductus bursae longitudinally wrinkled; corpus bursae elongate, saccate terminally; appendix bursae rounded tetragonal.

Taxonomic note. This species was already figured by CORTI in the Supplement of Palaearctic Noctuidae III (1933; Plate 9, Fig. g) under the in litteris name gregalis. This name was mentioned in the text, however, without any description or diagnosis, as erroneously synonymised with “ Episilia ” (= Xestia s.l.) proterva Püngeler, 1904. Therefore, the name gregalis cannot be used for this species.

Bionomics and distribution. Dichagyris hypotacta is the eastern allopatric sibling of D. humilis with wide distribution in the Eastern Tien Shan, the Pamirs, the Hindukush and the Western Himalayas mountain systems. It often belongs to the dominant Noctuinae species in high altitudes.

Etymology. Hypotacta (Greek) means subordinated, nearly synonymous with the meaning of the Latin humilis .